Nutritionists note anti-aging effect of cherries

Prompted by September being dubbed Healthy Aging Month, scientists and nutritionists are praising the qualities of tart cherries to encourage health as the body ages.

A 2007 study by the University of Granada in Spain and published in the Free Radical Research journal found that melatonin, an antioxidant present in cherries, combats the oxidation and inflammation processes caused by aging, and delays age-related illness such as heart disease.

On the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity scale of antioxidant strength, cherries rank 14th out of the top 50 antioxidant foods, above oranges, dark chocolate and prunes.